Coal-tipple.



No. 794,803. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

J. HUGHES.

COAL TIPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses inventor Z v WW by w Attornevs ANDREW B. GRAHAM 1:0,, umocmmzns. wAsmNmoM, n. c.

No. 794,803. PATBNTED JULY 18, 1905.

J. HUGHES.

GOAL TIPPLE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1905.

2 SHEETS-11331 2.

Witnesss I Attorneys UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HUGHES, OF GIATTO, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT C. ASHWORTH AND ONE-HALF TO CHARLES F. THOMAS,

OF GIATTO, WEST VIRGINIA.

COAL-TIPPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,803, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed April 10, 1905. Serial No. 254,833.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Giatto, in the county of Mercer and State of West Vir inia, have invented a new and useful OoalTipple, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loading and unloading mechanism, and particularly to devices of that general class employed for automatically clumping coal and ore cars as they come from the mine.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a means for automatically dumping the contents of the cars and after the dumping operation running the cars back on a switch or siding as fast as they are unloaded, the whole operation being automatic and carried on without the necessity of any manual labor whatever.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coal-tipple in which the momentum of the loaded car as it travels to the dumpingpoint is employed to store up the energy of a 1e like which reacts on the un-- spring or t loaded car and automatically returns the same to a loading or other oint.

A still further object of t e invention is to provide a means by which the empty car is moved bodily as it starts on its return movement, the impetus given being sufficient to travel the car the required distance.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointe out in the appended claims, it being understood that varlous changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure .may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. 1

In the accom anying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view ilustrating a portion of the coal-tipple constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the arrangement of the tracks leading to and from the tipple. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tipple proper drawn to a slightly-enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the tipple and trackway, showing a loaded car passing to the dumpingpoint.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, drawn to a somewhat larger scale, illustrating the position of the tipple and car during the dumping operation.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding arts throughout the several figures of the rawlngs.

The rails 10 lead from the mine-shaft or other point to the tipple 11,- and at a point near the tipple is a spring-actuated switch 12, leading to a siding 13, over which the empty cars are returned to the shaft or other oint to be loaded. During the movement of the loaded cars toward the tipple the flanges of the wheels engage the switchpoint 12 and move the same to open position, the movement being transmitted to the switch-point 12 and the loaded car passing on to the tipple. Assoon as the car passes a spring 14 restores the switch-points to the positions shown in Fig. 1, and when an empty car is moved from the tiipple it runs over the switch-points to the si ngs 13 and travels under the initial impetus or by gravity to the loading-point.

The tipple-platform 15 is provided with rails 16 at points directly outside of and parallel with the rails 17, the latter forming a continuation of the main rails 10. These outer rails are connected by a steel axle 18,

having cylindrical end portions 19, that are adapted to bearings formed in a suitable support, and the rails 16 are further connected by a suitable cross-brace 20 (see Fig. 3) for the purpose of strengthening the structure and forming also a stop for limiting the outward movement of the rail members 17. The outer ends of the rails 16 are curved upward on lines following approximately the curvature of the wheeltreads and serve to stop the movement of the car when it reaches the dumping-point, the treads being of sufficient width to engage with the rails 17 and 16.

The rails 17 are slidably mounted on the tipple-platform and are connected by a pair of rigid cross-bars 23, that extend through suitable guiding-strips 24, carried by said platform, the strips serving also to limit longitudinal movement of the rails.

The tipple-platform is provided with a plurality of rigid lugs or brackets and with a flange 26, both of which, as well as the crossbars 23, are provided with alining openings for the passage of rods 27, that are provided at their outer ends with threads for the reception of adjustable nuts 28, that bear against the outer face of the outermost crossbar 23. Extending across the three bars 27 and held from longitudinal movement there on by means of pins 30 is a bar 31, forming a rest or stop for the ends of a series of helical compression-springs 32, the opposite ends of which bear against the fixed lugs or brackets 25, and said bar 31 may be adjusted lengthwise of the bars 27 by the formation of a number of openings 33 in said bars to permit the placing of the pins 30 therein, finer adjustment being secured by turning the nuts 28,

The springs tend normally to maintain the slidable rails 17 in the position shown in Fig. 3that is to say, with their upwardly-curved end portions within the line of the upwardlycurved end portions of the rails 16 but under the momentum of the loaded car the rails will move outward until the wheels strike against the upward1y-curved end portions of the rails 16.

In order to open the end-gates of the cars, the side rails 16 are provided with extended arms or cams 35, arranged to engage with latch-releasing members 36, carried by the cars, so that when said members are forced upward the latches of the end-gates of thecars will be released and said gates will swing open by gravity to permit the discharge of the contents of the car.

' In operation, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 3 and a loaded car traveling on the rails 17, the car will move along until the treads of its forward wheels strike against the upwardly-curved ends of the rail members 17, and the momentum of the car will then cause the rails to slide endwise until said treads make contact with the curved end portions of the rails 16, whereupon the tipple-platform will be turned to the position shown in Fig. 4, its rear end leaving the sup port 38 and the load passing from the car olding the platform and car in this position until the load is fully discharged, whereupon the springs 32, previously compressed by the forward movement of the car to the dumpin position, will react and in assuming the initia position will move the car bodily backward,

and the center of gravity being then beyond the axle 18 the platform will fall to the hori- Zontal position, and as the springs continue to expand the car will be thrown outward onto the main track 10 and under the impetus of the springs will travel to the siding 13 and thence run to the mineshaft or other point.

WVith an apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention the cars may be directed to the dumping-point and require no further handling, inasmuch as the momentum of the loaded car is sufficient to move the tipple to dumping position, while the storedup energy of the springs is sufficient to move bodily the empty car and impart to the same suflicient impetus to carry it over to the sidm is claimed is I 1. In a coal-tipple, a tiltable frame or platform, longitudinally-movable rail sections mounted thereon and being in alinement with the main rail and provided with upwardly-curved end portions against which the wheels of the car may engage, stationary members having curved end portions forming stops for limiting the movement of the car, and springs connected to the movable rail-sections and serving to restore the rails to initial position, and start the car on its feaaward movement after the dumping of the 2. In a coal-tipple, a tiltable platform, rail-sections movable endwise of the platform and provided with upwardly-curved end portions for engagement by the treads of the car-wheels, a spring connected to said rail-sections and serving to remove the car bodily from the dumping position.

3. In a coal-tipple, the combination with a tiltable platform or frame, of endwise-movable rail-sections mounted thereon and having upturned end portions for engagement by the treads of the car-wheels, means for stopping movement of the car, and springs connecting the frame and rail-sections and placed under stress during the forward sliding movement of such rail-sections, the springs in reassuming normal position serving to move both the slidable rails and the empty car, and impart to the latter an impetus suflicient to discharge it from the platform.

4. In a coal-tipple, the combination with a tiltable platform or frame, of endwise-movable rail-sections slidably mounted thereon and having upturned ends for engagement by the treads of the car-wheel, auxiliary rail members having upturned ends, and forming stops for limiting movement of the car, cross-braces connecting the slidable rails, and adjustable springs extending between the braces and the fixed portions of the frame or platform, said springs being placed under stress during the forward movement of the car and slidable rails to the dumping-point.

IIaving thus described the invention, what 1 5 In a coal-tipple, the combination With a tiltable platform, of a pair of slidably-mounted rails mounted on said platform and having upturned end portions to be engaged by the treads of the car-Wheel, rail members rigidly secured to the platform and having upturned end portions forming stops for the car, cross-braces connecting the slidable railsections, guiding-straps for said cross-braces, threaded rods extending'through the brace and fixed members of the car and platform, adjustable nuts on said rods, and helical compression-springs extending around the rods and serving to restore the slidable rails to initial position, and to bodily move the empty I 5 car from the unloaded position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES HUGHES. Witnesses A. I. GODFREY, WM. W. MCCLAUGHERTY. 

